,THE RELATION OF DENSITY, POROSITY, AND

MOISTURE TO THE SPECIFIC VOLUME

OF ORES. •

It is often necessaryto know the cubiccontentof a material

as it lies in the ground, in order to estimatethe amountin place,
or tonnage representedby a given excavation,or to compare
different grades of ore. This cubic content is a direct function
of: (a) True specificgravity of the material,that is, the specific
gravity unaffectedby porosityor moisture; (b) porosityof the
material, in terms of per cent. of volumeoccupiedby pore-space
or voids; (c) percentageof moisture in the material, that is,
the percentagelossin weight on drying at I IOø C.
To facilitate the determination of the cubic content of ores
the following diagram or graphicequationwas devised(Plate
VIII.) expressingthe relation betweenthesethree factors and
the number of cubic feet per ton. Actual determinationsin
the ground are unsatisfactoryin that they do not sho.wthe
individualeffectsof the three factors mentioned,especially
moisturecontentwhich may vary widely at different times and
places. By use of the diagram the three factors are considered
separately,and their individual,relative,and net effectsmay be
observed. The method was devised for the determination of
cubiccontentsof Lake Superioriron ores,and resultshave been
checkedwith a considerable
numberof empiricaldeterminations
by the miningcompanies.The tableis equallyapplicable
to any
ore or other mineralsubstance
in the ground.
USE OF THE DIAGRAM.

The operationof the diagrammay perhapsbe madeclearmo.st

easilyby applyinga concreteproblemby way of illustration.
• Published
by permission
of the Directorof the U.S. Geol.Survey. Work
donein connection
with forthcomingfinal monographon the Lake Superior
region, now in preparationby C. R. Van Hise and C. K. Leith.
3•9
3 20 WARREN J'. MEAD.

Given an ore with a specificgravity of 4.5, porosity3ø per cent.,

and moistureIo per cent. Selecta pointon the upperedgeof
the diagramindicatingthe given specificgravity (4.5), from
there move downward,as indicatedb.y the dotted line, to the
line representingthe givenporosity. (There are two setsof
inclinedlines crossingthe upperpart of the diagram; the less
steeplyinclinedset,numbered at theleft sideof thediagram,indi-
catesdegreeof porosity.) From thispointmoveupwardto the
right alongthe more steeplyinclinedlinesto fhe edgeof the
diagram. This point (3.15) indicatesthe specificgravity as
correctedfor porosity. From this point move directly down-
ward to the lower edgeof the diagramwherethe numberof
cubicfeet per ton is indicated. This showsx1.4 cubicfeet per
ton of dry material. The factor of moisturehas not yet been
considered. When moisture is presentthe material is heavier
and consequently the volumeper ton smaller. To introduce
this factor of moisture, move directly upward from the last
point (I 1.4) to the horizontalline indicatingthe givenpercent-
age of moisture(Io) and from this point down the inclined
line to the lower edge of the diagramwhere the numberof
cubicfeet per long ton is found to be xo.2.
At the lower edgeof the plateis a transformationtableshow-
ing the relationbetweencubicfeet per longton (2,240 pounds)
and cubic feet per short ton (2,ooo pounds). For example--
•o.2 cubicfeet per long ton is equivalentto 9.• cubicfeet per
short ton.

METHODS OF DETERMINING SPECIFIC GRAVITY, POROSITY

AND MOISTURE.

The following methodsof determiningthe aboveconstants

were found to applyvery well to the Lake Superioriron ores,
and may apply to other ores.
Specific
Gravity.--Toavoidconfusion
it mayb.ewellto define
the termsmineralspecificgravity, and rock specificgravity as
usedin thepresentdiscussion.As the termimplies,by mineral
specific
gravityof an oreis meantthespecificgravityunaffected
by porosity
or moisture,
determined
entirelybythemineralogical
composition.
Thetermrockspecifi.c
gravityapplies
to theen-
 SPECIFIC VOLUME OF ORES. 321

tire massof the material, and differs from the mineral specific
gravity in proportion to the porosity of the material, and the
moisturepresent. In making determinationsof mineral specific
gravity it is of coursenecessaryto excludeall effectsof pore-
space and moisture. When the material is of a known
mineralogicalcompositionthe specificgravity may be readily
calculated from a chemical analysis of the material. This
method is very satisfactoryand doesnot necessitate
any gravi-
metric determinations other than an occasional one as a check
on the calculatedfigures.
When the nature of the material admits,determinations may
be madeon handspecimens by the commonmethodof weighing
first in air and then submergedin water. In this methodcare
is neededto insurecompletedrying before weighingin air, and
completesaturationbefore weighing under water. The former
may be accomplished by prolongeddrying in an air-bath at
• •o ø C., and the latter by prolongedboiling in water under re-
ducedpressure.The moreporousthe specimen, the moreeasily
are both of the aboveoperationsaccomplished.A third method,
which has somepointsof advantageover the other two, is deter-
minationof the finelypowdered and driedmaterialby meansof
a specificgravity bottle.
Porosity.--Porosityis expressed in termsof per cent.of vol-
ume occupiedby pore-space or voids. Determinations of por-
osityin handspecimens may be madeby findingthe weightof
water absorbedin saturatinga completelydry specimen. This
measures the amountof water neededto fill the openings,
which
amountmay be calculatedin termsof volumeby taking account
of the specificgravityof the material. Given,mineralspecific
gravity, and moistureof saturationin terms of percentage
weight, porositymay be calculatedas follows:
M
P
I--M
G +M
P: porosity,
M = moisture of saturation,
G ---mineral specificgravity.
322 I•'.4RREN •. ME.4D.

In unconsolidated
materialsuchas a large part of the iron ore of
the Mesabidistrict,porositycannotbe readily determinedfrom
hand specimens,and it is necessaryto resort to actual measure-
ment of the volume of an excavationcausedby the removal of
a known weight of ore. From this determinationof volume,
togetherwith a moistureand mineral, specificgravity determina-
tions, porositymay be calculated,and the diagram becomesuse-
ful in showing the effects of fluctuation in moisture in an ore
of uniform compositionand texture.
Moisture is consideredin terms o.f percentageof total weight.
It is determinedby noting the percentageloss in weight on dry-
ing at I IOø C.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE DIAGRAM.

The following discussionof the derivation of the diagram is

given with the idea that one desiring to make use of it would
first wish to be assured that it rests on a rational mathematical
basis.
The top and bottom lines of the diagram proper, labeled re-
spectively,"specific gravity," and "cubic feet per ton," and
connectedby parallel vertical lines, constitute a transformation
table by means of which the number of cubic feet per ton of
a material of a given densitymay be at oncedetermined(or vice
versa) by moving vertically betweenthe upper and lower edges
of the diagram. Immediatelybelow the edge of the diagram
properis a scaleof poundsper cubicfoot, which may be used
by moving vertically downward from any point on the "specific
gravity" or "cubic feet per ton" scales.
Effect of Porosity.--The effect of porosityis to decreasethe
density of a substance,hence rock specificgravity is less than
mineral specificgravity in proportionto the degreeof porosity
of the material considered. To introducethe factor of porosity
in the diagram, the upper line was extendedto the right to the
point indicating a specificgravity of zero (not shown on the
diagram). The line at the left edge of the diagram was drawn
perpendicularto the upper edgeand divided into.IOOequaldivis-
ions, representing percentagesof pore-space. Each of the
 SPECIFIC VOLUME OF ORES. 323

points of the vertical "porosity" line was then connectedwith

the point indicatinga specificgravity of zero. Hence on moving
vertically downward from any point on the "specific gravity"
line, a succession of equallyspacedlines are crossedindicating
percentagesof pore-space. To enable the diagram to auto-
maticallyshow the changein specificgravity resultingfrom a
given porosityof a substance of known mineral specificgravity,
a set of parallel lines was drawn, properlyconnectingpointson
the "porosity" and "specificgravity" lines. Theselineswere
drawn parallel to the line connectinglOO per cent. porositywith
zero specificgravity, and agree with the following formula:

Gr=G,•(1--P)

whereGr --- rock specificgravity, G,• -- mineral specificgravity,

P---porosity. The diagram then automaticallyshowsthe rela-
tion betweenmineral specificgravity, porosityand cubicfeet per
ton. To illustrate,a certainore with a mineral specificgravity
of 5.o has 4o per cent. pore-space. Beginningat the point 5.o
on the upper edge of the diagram, move downward to the line
indicatinga porosityof 4o per cent., from this point move along
the parallel inclinedlines upward to the right, to the edge of
the diagram, where the specificgravity as reducedby pore-space
(rock specificgravity) is found to be 3.o; immediatelybelow
this point, on the lower edge of the diagram it is seenthat the
ore runs 11.95 cubic feet per ton, and 187.25 poundsper cubic
foot.
Effect of Moisture.--The diagram so far takesno accountof
moisture,and henceis applicableonly to perfectlydry material.
Moisture when presentin an ore or similar substanceoccupies
the pore-space. When the pore-spaceis filled with moisturethe
material is said to be saturated. As the moisture occupiesthe
natural openingsin the ore, its presenceaffectsthe weight of the
ore and not its volume,henceits effectis to increasethe density
and decreasethe number of cubic feet per ton. Moisture is
expressedin percentageo.f total weight.
Let D---density as affectedby porosity.
324 WARREN J'. MEAD.

2,240
Cu. it. per ton--
D X 62.4
(one cubicfoot of water weighs624 pounds).
When moisture (M) is presentthe above equationbecomes,
Cu.it. perton--(D X 624)(M q- •)
2,24o
The lower part of the diagram is crossedby a set of parallel
horizontallines indicatingpercentages of moisture,as shownat
the right-handedgeof the diagram. Following the aboveequa-
tion, a set of inclined lines were drawn, properly connecting
pointson the "moisture" and "cubic feet per ton" lines. Given
the number of cubic t:eetoccupiedby a ton of any porousma-
terial whendry, the effectof any percentage of moistureis indi-
catedautomaticallyby the diagram. For example,a certainore
whendry occupies•2 cubicfeet per ton, it is desiredto know the
effectof to per cent. moisture. From the point •2 on the lower
edge o.f the diagram move vertically upward to the horizontal
line indicating to per cent. moisture, from this point move
downward along the inclinedline to the edge of the diagram,
where it is found that the moist material occupies•o.8 cubicfeet
per ton.
Moisture of Saturation.--Up to this point it has beenshown
that, given mineral specificgravity, porosityand moisturecon-
tent of an ore or similar substance,the diagram automatically
indicatesthe number of cubic feet per ton. In many classesof
ore the factor of moisture is the most variable of the three named
above. Mineral specificgravity, and porosity of an ore deter-
mine the amount of moisture which it is possiblefor an ore to
hold. This maximum, or moistureof saturationmay be calcu-
lated as follows.

Gm-• mineral specificgravity.

D •density of dry porousmaterial.
P --- porosity.
M =moisture of saturation.
D --- G,•(• --P).
D
from which P z•----
Gm
 SPECIFIC VOLUME OF ORES. 325

-- G,•( x -- P) -3-P
substitutingabovevalue for P,
D
I m G•
M--

D-+-.I--6, •
By substitutingvaluesfor D and G,• in the aboveequationthe
moisture of saturation curves were constructed across the lower
part of the diagram. Thesecurvesenable$neto determineat
oncethe moistureof saturationof any material, given the min-
eral specificgravity and porosity. Each curve correspondsto
a certain mineral specificgravity, and the moistureof saturation
is found by moving vertically from the point indicating the
numberof cubic feet per ton of the dry material to the proper
moisture of saturation curve. For example an ore with a
mineral
specific
gravityof 4.0 porosity
36.0percent.,occupies
•4 cubicfeet per ton if dry--its moistureof saturationis found
by moving upward from the point I4, to the curve G---4.0,
and reading the indicatedmoisture,--in this case I2 per cent.
That is, I2. 3 per cent.moisturewould fill the pore-space
of the
material in question.
Excessof MoistureHandlea
r in Mining.--It frequently
hap-
pensin mining that ore as hoistedto the surfaceactuallycon-
tains a larger percentageof moisture than it did before it was
mined,it may in fact containa percentageof moisturegreater
than the moistureof saturationof the unminedore. This may
be causedby the handling of broken ore on undrainedmine
floors. The ore after beingbrokendown,has a muchlarger
percentageof voidsthan beforeand hencea greaterability to
absorb and retain moisture. The diagram is useful in this
connection
in showing,from determinations
of specificgravity
and original porosityof hand specimens,
the moistureof satura-
tion o.fthe orein place. This figurecompared
with the percent-
age of moistureof ore as it leavesthe mine tells at oncewhether
or not an unnecessaryamountof water is beinghoistedwith the
ore, due to improperdrainage.